Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1887-12-10
NEEDS OF THE FIREMEN.

The volunteer fire department Of this cit,
has labored under great disad vantage
since it's inception, and there has been 6
singular want OF consideration for the un.
selfish exertions OF it's members from thu
City Council. It is true that it il to the in
terest OF one citizen as much a. another to
put out fires as quickly as possible and
with the least possible loss. The members
OF the fire department benefit by the exist.
ence OF their corps just as much a. the citi.
Gems at large. But the usn who shoulder
the responsibility OF %extinguishinz fires
when they occur in this city do all the
bard work when q hre occurs and the
citizens cannot make their labors too light
IN the work they gratuitously undertake.
They encounter great risks ieariessly mod
sxpend their " money literally to SIS
lain the efficiency Of their corps. They do
great deal more in this respect than they
should be asked to do. But. there are GER.
tain duties they have hitherto undertaken
that the city should relieve them of and
which every argument OF reason or
justice should unite in suggesting the pro.
pretty ~ the city Undertaking by employ.
ing men to attend to it. This
refers to certain mental labor that ought
to be performed b. men hired to attend
to 1t. The labor of cleaning tho hose after
use ut a fire and resling it up carefully in
readiness Tor use Immediately is not work
that should be asked OF volunteers.
When men get out Of their beds and work
hard. exposing themselves to fierce heat
and getting d-cnched with water, as fire.
quently happens. they should have moth.
Ing further to do than 60 homs and get "a
much sleep n they can. They are all en-.
gagged in business during the day and have
their duties to attend to, irrespective of
the amount OF sleep they have lost !
A. the f.s that occurred the
Other night, some Of tho mon
lost Sheir whole nights rest, GUARDING the !
exposed property until daylight. The city
shouldf furnish uen to do skis. It IN not fair |
to expect volunteers to do such work On
this.
The fire department should be furnished |
with at least two houses fitted with con-.
veniences for the fremen to assemble in.
and, il necessary. sleep in. It il not sup.
posed that all would avail themselves Of
this. ]! these houses were supplied with
room for. say, half q dozen men each to re.
there by turns, so that in event Of m
alarm baing turned on, they could turn out
and a great deal OF valuable
time could b. saved. With such q convent.
once. the men could beprovided with q warm
place in winter, to which they could ret. I'm
from q fire and change their wet clothes
delay. The advantages Of such /.
houses are too obvious to need to be en-.
upon, and with the more liberal
policy to be inaugurated upon the passage
d = reineorporation act, thsir establish.l
usnt should be among the first things At ,
'sndsd to. But ne delay should b. incurred /;
n providing men to attend to the duties :
lrst pointed out. The least rejection will :
0 that the volunteer Aremsn should be =
eIisvsd Of every possible labor outside o.; =
'n@' 'uPra"s dnty In handins the an. .
at . fire. When tna+ls. do,e tb.i- .
'ork at q IRE should be over. p